This column is written for the Stray Ferret by Kimberley Metcalfe. Kimberley has an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare. Her company Pooches Galore is based in Harrogate and specialises in dog training and resolving canine behavioural problems.

This year more than ever we are going to be staycationing, and for many dogs this might be their first holiday. For those of us, myself included, who usually take our main holiday abroad or without our dogs, this year might be the first year that we holiday with our dogs.

Here are my top tips for stress free holidays with our dogs:

• If your dog is crate trained, but maybe you’ve not used it for a while, now is the time to dust off the crate. Reintroduce the crate and get your dog used to it at home. This helps to give your dog a secure space where they can feel reassured. This is also a requirement of many holiday homes, so starting in a safe environment is much easier.
• Work on your dog’s settle behaviour – being out in cafes, pubs and restaurants has been a rarity for most of our dogs over the last year. Although many dogs will love being out and about around people, (these are known as disco dogs!), others will find this much more challenging (we call these dogs library dogs!). I recommend to all my clients to work on teaching their dog to settle on a mat in easy environments and then work up to settling outside of café before sitting for long periods inside.
• The basics – no matter what we are going to do with our dogs on their holidays, recall and loose lead walking are going to make your life a lot easier. Take high value treats on your walks and work hard on rewarding these basics. Even if you feel your dog already has these, there’s no harm in brushing up their skills around high level distractions such as picnics!

Packing for an easy life would be in my top tips too, so apart from the obvious bed and bowl, this is what else I would be packing:

• Chews – lots of healthy chews to help settle dogs in lots of different situations.
• A settle mat – somewhere comfortable for your dog to lay on when they are out and about.
• A drying coat – if you have a dog that loves to be in the water, a drying coat will save you so much time.
• A travel bowl – always handy to have in your bag, so if you get stuck without access to a water bowl you have one to hand.
• A first aid kit – these are always useful to have on you when you are out and about.
• Contact numbers for local vets in the area you are staying in.

Hopefully these hints and tips will help you to have a happy holiday. And of course, if you are struggling with any of the above please do not hesitate to get in touch!

Read More: 

• Kim’s Canines: Has the last year made our dogs more reactive?
• Kim’s Canines: Protecting your pooch from dog theft